The invention relates to a safety disconnector serving for disconnecting or breaking in case of need the electric connection between two conductors. Such devices are used in particular in automotive engineering e.g. to break the connection to the vehicle battery in an accident so as to de-energize the electric circuits of the vehicle and reduce the danger of explosion. To this end, pyrotechnic disconnectors are known which use a pyrotechnic explosive charge which can be ignited in case of need and disconnects the electric connection to the vehicle battery.
It is the object of this invention to provide a disconnector which is distinguished by a particularly simple design and a high degree of reliability.
According to the invention this object is achieved by a disconnector comprising a housing, first and second conductors which extend into the housing and which abut against each other at a contact point, and an adjusting element adjustable between a starting position and a separating position relative to the first and second conductors and provided with a separating element which when in its separating position separates the first and second conductors from each other. Thus, the disconnector according to the invention effects a separation of the two conductors by strictly mechanical means, which results in minor structural effort along with minor production costs. In this connection, the separation of the two conductors can be effected in that either the separating element is inserted between the two conductors or the separating element engages one of the two conductors and lifts it off the other.
It is preferably provided that the separating element is a wedge which can be pushed between the first and second conductors in the area of the contact point. Due to the wedge effect a reliable separation of the two conductors can be achieved also with comparatively small actuation forces of the slide. At the same time, it is possible to provide structurally a comparatively long slide path for the wedge, which leads to high functional safety. Finally, it is possible to achieve self-locking in the separating position by selecting the inclination of the wedge surfaces, so that no return stop must be provided for the slide.
It is provided in an embodiment of the invention that the adjusting element is a translatorily adjustable slide which is preferably slidable approximately parallel to the direction of extension of the conductors. In this way, a simple design is obtained which results in high functional safety.
In is provided in another embodiment of the invention that the separating element is a pivot member, the pivot member being preferably pivotable about an axis approximately perpendicular to the direction of extension of the conductors. This design also leads to a simple structure which results in high functional safety.
It is preferred to provide a spring which urges the adjusting element from its starting position into its separating position, a locking element being additionally provided which can retain the adjusting element in its starting position. Also with respect to the adjustment of the slide only mechanical means are used which function with the required reliability even for a long operating time.
The locking element may be a pivotable hook. The latter may then release the slide by a simple swiveling movement, so that the slide is moved by the spring effect from the starting position into the separating position. The slide can be actuated in any way, e.g. by a magnetic switch, by a deceleration sensor sensing the exceeding of a predetermined deceleration which is characteristic of a vehicle crash or by suitable mechanical means.
As an alternative it can be provided that the locking element is a translatorily slidable buttress. This buttress can be actuated e.g. directly by a magnetic switch to release the locking element.
The spring is preferably a leaf spring one end of which is mounted on one of the conductors and the other end of which is supported on the adjusting element. In this design, the bias provided by the spring can be converted directly and without frictional losses into a displacement of the slide.
It is provided in the preferred embodiment of the invention that the leaf spring is supported on the adjusting element such that it urges one of the conductors against the other conductor. In this development, the spring has a double function: On the one hand, it urges the slide from the starting position into the separating position and, on the other hand, it urges one conductor against the other. Apart from a simpler design this results in an advantageous by-effect: when the adjusting element is transferred from the starting position into the separating position and the spring is correspondingly released, the force with which the two conductors are urged against each other is also reduced. As a result, the two conductors can be separated from each other more easily.
Advantageous embodiments of the invention are possible including various substitutions, modifications and alterations without departing from this aspect of the present invention.